Background: ISRAEL TODAY (THURSDAY APRIL 29) CELEBRATED THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF ITS INDEPENDENCE WITH IMPRESSIVE MILITARY SHOW OF STRENGTH. THE LARGEST SHOW OF PHANTOM JETS EVER SEEN IN ISRAEL TOOK PART IN A FLY-PAST, AND A DISPLAY OF GUNBOATS REVEALED THAT SOME OF THE VESSELS SMUGGLED OUT OF FRANCE IN 1969 HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE ISRAELI NAVAL FLEET.

THE FLYOVER OF PHANTOM JETS AND OTHER AIRCRAFT INDICATED THAT THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE HAS BEEN GREATLY REINFORCED DURING THE PAST YEAR, AND PUBLICLY ADMITTED POSSESSING. AS FAR AS THE "SAAR" TYPE MISSILE-CARRYING GUNBOATS ARE CONCERNED, FRANCE DELIVERED SEVEN OF TWELVE BUILT BEFORE PLACING AN EMBARGO ON THE VESSELS. THE REMAINING FIVE WERE SMUGGLED OUT OF CHERBOURG HARBOUR WITHOUT FRENCH PERMISSION, AND ALTHOUGH THE ISRAEL IS LATER ADMITTED RESPONSIBILITY THEY SAID THE BOATS WOULD ONLY BE USED FOR OIL EXPLORATION. TODAY'S SHOW OF STRENGTH, HOWEVER, REVEALED TEN OF THE GUNBOATS IN NAVAL OPERATION -- SHOWING THAT AT LEAST THREE OF THE FIVE SMUGGLED BOATS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE NAVY AS MISSILE-CARRIERS.

THIS VISNEWS FILM, IN BLACK AND WHITE ONLY, WAS INJECTED INTO THE EUROVISION NEWS EXCHANGE CIRCUIT FROM ITALIAN TELEVISION (RAI) AND TELERECORDED FROM THE EXCHANGE IN LONDON FOR A SPEEDIER SERVICE. IT SHOWS THE MILITARY PARADE AND FLYOVERS ETC., WITH PERSONALITIES LIKE GENERAL DAYAN, MRS. MEIR, ABBA EBAN, AND PRESIDENT SHAZAR.